The Small Scale Miners Association in the Ashanti Region has thrown its weight behind the new Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr. Frank Amoakohene, in his quest to halt illicit mining in forest reserves.
This comes after the Minister directed all illegal miners in forest reserves and water bodies to cease operations within the next two weeks.
Dr. Amoakohene warned that security forces in the region will take further action if the illegal miners fail to comply with the directive.
The Ashanti Regional Organiser for the Association, Mr. Kwaku Duah, expressed the Association’s readiness to support the Minister, stating that they will do everything to help.
Mr Duah in an interview with this reporter on Friday, however, urged the Minister to differentiate between legal and illegal miners, appealing to him to protect responsible miners and crack down on illegal ones to save jobs.
This distinction is crucial, as it will ensure that legitimate miners are not unfairly affected by the crackdown on illegal mining.
